A farming project aimed at reducing poverty and social issues among youth in Fiji has been launched.
A villager from Vunimoli on Vanua Levu, Eminoni Limalevu, has introduced the scheme for dozens of youth groups on the island, with support from the Vodafone Foundation Fiji World of Difference programme.
A spokesperson for the World of Difference Programme, Ambalika Kutty, says under the scheme, the youth groups with land learn to plant and sell produce such as pineapples, watermelons, casava and sweet potato.
She says the profit is placed in a savings account and used to further their education and improve their livelihoods.
"Initially the minimum income that they get per annum is five thousand [Fiji] dollars and the maximum that they're looking at is around over a hundred thousand. These youths are unemployed youths and they don't earn anything. So five thousand dollars for them minimum in Fiji for the unemployed youths is very good."
Amablika Kutty says the farming scheme involves youth groups from 14 villages in Labasa district.
